|
When first learning to play guitar, there is an initial hurdle that's tough to overcome. Once a beginner learns the basics and gets comfortable with the instrument, progress is fast and learning new songs and styles becomes a lot of fun. But then the intermediate guitar player will usually hit a plateau and find progress to be flat for a while. What are some tips people have for an intermediate guitar player that's been playing for a few years and wants to move on to the next level? |
|
I think when playing hits a plateau it has become almost pure reflex. It's a comfort zone of muscle memory, and complacency to entertain yourself quickly with the least amount of effort. Frank Gambale said the reason people don't progress on guitar is that they play the same things year after year. He said you should try to learn something new each time you sit down to play. I have found this to be true. So what new things should one learn? 1.Try techniques you have been ignoring or didn't take seriously all this time. This includes other genres of guitar playing you don't usually listen to. There are so many different techniques to study that will distract you from your preset playing patterns. 2.Envelope yourself into the lick database at http://www.myguitarsolo.com/Licks/Licks.htm. You can learn one new lick a day for 320 days and many other interesting manuevers on guitar. It's a buffet of guitar goodies that doesn't end! Deepak Chopra says you should fear the known, and not the unknown. This makes sense for guitar, because progress lies within the things you don't yet know, and stagnation is a result of the things you do. |
|
I have a new eBook out, for 4.99 you get 299 Guitar Licks + 10 Backing Tracks. If you are interested, all licks come with Normal speed audio and slow speed audio, TAB, standard notation, fingering, picking direction and more. You can get it on http://www.licksforeveryone.com |
|
An intermediate guitarist should have a solid understanding of the basic mechanics of playing the guitar. The basics of playing the guitar are: chords (harmony), scales (melody), and rhythm (rhythm being the most important and universal of the three). There are also the important aspects of: form (common song structure), dynamics (loud, or soft), and timbre (tone, effects, etc.). This involves creating some logic of why things go together, or learning some music theory. Once all of these are familiar; there are two general directions that an intermediate guitarist can go: Improvising or playing composed music. The two are not mutually exclusive, but different styles of music require different levels of each. Both require a solid understanding of the basics. If you feel you've plateaued; you should look at a list of the basics and decide where you need to improve. |
Hmm, there are a lot of questions I need to come back to and spend time on.